Ampersand to reveal mystery of the disappearing books (apparently)

[Nyronus]

I haven't quoted the entire FAQ here because not all of it is corp-speak and weasel words. But enough of it is that it just infuriates me. Whoever wrote this FAQ is not a D&D player, and they've probably never come within a mile of a D&D player. D&D is WotC's property, and you (WotC) are free to do what you feel is best for their shareholders. Just FFS PLEASE stop treating me like an idiot. I might be disappointed and even angry at your recent business decisions, but if you do it respectfully then you might just keep me as a customer.

No one is treating you like an idiot. Your the one going around looking for a reason to feel insulted and self-righteous.

There isn't any "corp" speak or weasel words in that FAQ. Its fairly straight forward. The minis line wasn't meeting expectations, so they cut it. They saw book sales weren't doing well, so they decided to digitize them because that was what was selling. If this was some sort of slithery corporate double-speak, its the worst I have ever seen in my life since it more less, ya know, means exactly what it says. Your the one reading unrealistic strawmen into them, such the line about selling like hot-cakes, which only an idiot would think given any context. Please, if your going to be upset, try to do it over something... I don't know... real?

As for the rest of this storm in a teacup... woo? I'm usually one to swoop in like a fiery avenger to defend WotC from the hoard of chicken littles who make it a hobby to try and convince everyone that the game is about to die, but this really blase compared to just about everything else that has "gone wrong," and I think the fact that the outrage seems more over the method of announcement than the crime shows it. I honestly don't care that much about any of the books axed. I ignore the new rarity rules so the Emporium was only so much more raw data for the Compendium, I don't have enough money to reinvest in a new PHB, as a nice as this copy would be, and, for the life of me, no one seems to know what Hero builder was. Champions has themes and professions and all that, and Hero builder was... what? This doesn't seem like much of a loss and perhaps cannibalizing it will be for the best.

The only thing that miffs me at all is the compilation issue. I really did like having all of those articles in one place when I went to look for them, but, then again, some of the posters here do present a really good point: it would be much better to organize the material by theme. I honestly forget which issue has what article since I only re-read them when I have need of it, so its often a matter of opening and closing table of contents until I find what I want. If I get the time I may go back and reorganize my whole D/D library by article type. That would be much more effecient, honestly.

 

[Aegeri]

I haven't quoted the entire FAQ here because not all of it is corp-speak and weasel words. But enough of it is that it just infuriates me. Whoever wrote this FAQ is not a D&D player, and they've probably never come within a mile of a D&D player. D&D is WotC's property, and you (WotC) are free to do what you feel is best for their shareholders. Just FFS PLEASE stop treating me like an idiot. I might be disappointed and even angry at your recent business decisions, but if you do it respectfully then you might just keep me as a customer.

I think you are taking it far too literally and personally myself.

 

[Momeeche]

I see zero improvement here.

It is an improvement for them, for the bottom line.

Once in a while, they could compile all "Winning Races" articles in one issue that has a strong thematic focus.

I wonder if they will go to some model in the future, where customers can select the items they want to be bundled into a particular PDF or book. It would be an interesting aspect to print on demand.

 

[Walking Dad]

On the topic of the compiled Dungeon and Dragon issues vs. individual articles...I guess I'm one of the guys you're all going to hate, because I remember taking that poll, and I voted decisively that I prefer to download individual articles. I don't want the entire issue, because 75% of it is stuff I won't use. I read individual articles as they're posted, and decide if it's something I want. If it is, I download it. If not, I can move along. I don't need an entire issue to sift through to find the 1 or 2 articles I want. =/

...
D&D.

You know you only got the un-errated version all the time? Or do you use them only for fluff and not for crunch)

 

[Klaus]

Why not just tell us the miniatures line wasn't selling? Are you seriously telling me that the miniatures were selling like hot cakes, but you just didn't like how they meshed with "internal goals"? No, of course not. They weren't selling. You made a business decision to cancel them. Please don't treat me like an idiot.

You're overreacting. "The minis line wasn't meeting our internal goals" means it wasn't selling what they hoped. You're the one projecting a "selling like cupcakes" vibe into it.

Seriously this is a FAQ? People are tying up the phone lines and bogging down the email servers to try to find out how long the minis will remain available?

If it's a frequently asked question, then it's in an FAQ. Simple as that. WotC felt the need to address this, so they must've had quite a few of these.

Once again, be straight with us. How about this instead: based on an analysis of past sales, these products just weren't going to cut it.

What this answer means is that these three books offered rules and items and variant presentations of classes that, according to their own research, the customers prefer to get in digital format. You're reading a "these products suck!" vibe into this, but the text is actually quite clear.

 

[Stumblewyk]

You know you only got the un-errated version all the time? Or do you use them only for fluff and not for crunch)

I'm aware that it's un-errated. But I use the content for fluff, mostly. If there's something I actually intend to use for crunch, I'll grab the compiled issue for the errata, but that happens so rarely that it's not really an issue.

For the most part, I use Dungeon and Dragon to preview the content that will be showing up the Compendium, CB or MB applications. =/

 

[ExploderWizard]

Remember, WotC is a business and they need your ongoing subscription to keep the hobby alive.

The hobby will be just fine even if WOTC closes up shop and calls it quits. The industry is not the hobby.

This sounds like a frikkin save the whales plea. Last time I checked WOTC was a business. A business needs to provide customers with products that they want if the business is to survive.

A good many customers feel that a subscription is no longer worth paying for so they are no longer paying for it. If or when WOTC makes the offering more attractive some of those customers might return.

WOTC is by no means "the hobby". The hobby is sustained by people who enjoy rpgs,and continue to play and teach them to others regardless of what any company happens to be (or not be) producing. The hobby does not live or die based on the fortunes of a publisher, even a large one.

 

[Orpheo]

The hobby will be just fine even if WOTC closes up shop and calls it quits. The industry is not the hobby.

This sounds like a frikkin save the whales plea. Last time I checked WOTC was a business. A business needs to provide customers with products that they want if the business is to survive.

A good many customers feel that a subscription is no longer worth paying for so they are no longer paying for it. If or when WOTC makes the offering more attractive some of those customers might return.

WOTC is by no means "the hobby". The hobby is sustained by people who enjoy rpgs,and continue to play and teach them to others regardless of what any company happens to be (or not be) producing. The hobby does not live or die based on the fortunes of a publisher, even a large one.

Absolutely. I haven't bought a WoTC product for 18 months, pretty much all of the 4E books I bought prior to then have since been sold and the money raised spent on rpg products from publishers that are providing me with what I want. It pains me to watch the company that revived D&D ten years ago expiring in the fashion of a fish out of water but that's the way it is. I work hard for my money, I'll spend it on products that impress me. Besides, over the last couple of years I've been forced to help bail out failed businesses without any choice.

 

[MrMyth]

Seriously this is a FAQ? People are tying up the phone lines and bogging down the email servers to try to find out how long the minis will remain available? Dudes. I think we're all smart enough to figure out that when current supplies are gone, they're gone. Don't treat me like an idiot.

Yes, I think what this discussion was desperately missing was someone taking WotC to task for too much communication.

Seriously, as others have said - they answered questions in a straightforward fashion without anything resembling doublespeak. I don't see any lack of respect or assumption of idiocy on their behalf.

 

[moxcamel]

Yes, I think what this discussion was desperately missing was someone taking WotC to task for too much communication.

Yes, you nailed my criticism in one. WotC are communicating WAY too much about this. My entire post can be boiled down to "please Wizards, shut your effing gobs because I just can't handle the quality and amount of communication you've been putting out any more. Please make it stop now I CRAVE SILENCE!!"

Seriously, disagree if you like, but was it really that necessary to willfully take my comments completely out of context like that?